WJXT-TV 4 to drop CBS

By From staff,

Jacksonville's WJXT-TV 4 will split from the CBS network sometime this summer and become an independent station. Channel 4 executives said the break is coming because station owner Post-Newsweek and CBS couldn't come to terms on an affiliation agreement.

Post-Newsweek Stations president Alan Frank said the gulf between the two parties was part money, part philosophy.

"WJXT will be dramatically expanding its local presence, which is already among the most successful in the nation, adding staff and committing to serving Jacksonville viewers even more effectively," he said.

Frank was in Jacksonville today. He joined WJCT-TV 4 general manager Sherry Burns in announcing the break with CBS to the station's staff at 3 p.m.

Steven N. Barlow, an analyst at Prudential Securities in New York who follows The Washington Post Co., said the company has not discussed the possibility of changing WJXT's affiliation with analysts.

"I guess I would be surprised if it happens," he said earlier today. "They really don't have any history of running independent stations."

While WJXT's affiliation agreement with CBS expires on July 10, according to the Washington Post's annual report, the network agreements for the other five stations, including the CBS affiliate in Orlando, all run at least through the end of 2004.

The Washington Post doesn't break out financial data for its individual television stations, Barlow said, but he thinks the company would be hurt if WJXT lost its network affiliation, because it would likely reduce the number of viewers for the station.

"There would be financial implications," he said.

Our First Coast News partner reports that CBS is talking to other Jacksonville stations about becoming a CBS affiliate and hopes to have an announcement soon.